


White Lies, Half Truths (and other poor attempts at keeping a secret)

by lavendrlies



Series: Superpowered Dumbasses - Powers AU [3]
Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Angst, Anxiety, Ballroom Dancing, Breaking and Entering, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dancing, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Heist, Human Kiibo, Implied Sexual Content, Light Angst, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Overthinking, Panic Attacks, Phantom Thief Kokichi, Protective Siblings, Relationship Reveal, Rescue, Reveal, Secret Relationship, Suspicions, also ft dice lovingly teasing kokichi for literally everything he does, ft protective shuichi because he loves his brother, he can finally rest, it’s just shuichi overthinking so no real angst, shuichi and kiibo try their best and kokichi's ego doesn't help, shuichi is losing his damn mind but finally he figured it out, that's it that's chapter 3, there’s a few sexual innuendos so, this is fine because kokichi does the same thing back, this time it’s for actual artifacts and not for that one cute boy, you can once again pry familial saiibo from my cold dead hands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-10-26 10:24:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20740697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lavendrlies/pseuds/lavendrlies
Summary: Kiibo and Kokichi are both content with how their relationship has developed. However, for fairly obvious reasons, this relationship can’t be made public. Perhaps if one of them weren’t a phantom thief, this wouldn’t be an issue, but as it stands they’ll just have to deal with keeping things under wraps.Easy, right?(Alternatively: 5 times Shuichi doesn’t find out about his brother’s secret relationship, and 1 time he does)





	1. Taunting

The idea of dating his rival's brother was one that had certainly crossed his mind, but was similarly one that Kokichi hadn't thought held much weight.

That was why he was, for once, more than happy to admit he was wrong when he and Kiibo officially became a couple. Except to Fuyumi, the smug bitch. He loved her as a sister, and as siblings tended to do, he hated the idea of admitting she was right. She already teased him for his new boyfriend and her supposed 'involvement', he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of saying he had been _wrong_.

Unfortunately, Kiibo didn't like the idea of announcing this development from the rooftops as much as he did. Which was, in hindsight, completely understandable considering that he was blood related to two detectives, one of which was chasing him, and that Kokichi himself was a wanted criminal. But just because he understood that aspect didn't mean he had to happily accept Kiibo's insistence to not outwardly date his civilian self either.

"If you hang around too much, Shuichi may start to notice similarities." Kiibo had continuously repeated to him every time Kokichi whined about the rule, which was every time their relationship was brought up in conversation. It wasn't that he didn't understand the risks - in fact, he knew the risks more thoroughly then perhaps Kiibo himself - but Kokichi was always someone who indulged in pride, and if he wanted to show off his wonderful boyfriend, then he wanted to show off his wonderful boyfriend!

Still, he agreed and the two did their best to keep things subtle and secretive.

But here's the thing. Kokichi has no problem containing his adoration for Kiibo. He was a liar since the moment he was born, so avoiding verbal slip ups wasn't an issue. The issue lay in the fact that Kokichi had an insatiable urge to brag to Shuichi specifically about it.

So perhaps the thief was a bit more nervous than usual on this heist.

It was a crisp, late evening, three weeks after Kiibo's returned confession. The sharp breeze was none of his concern at the moment, darting through the warm museum with superhuman speed, though it would be when he inevitably ended up on the roof, as per usual. He was here to swipe an antique pocket watch, part of a new exhibit. It was worth the most, and Kokichi doubted he'd have any issues with finding some takers in the underground market.

With the all clear from Emiko, their resident hacker, it was a piece of cake to grab the watch. It was silver, with intricate engravings and elegant hands, and much heavier than he expected it to be. He shoved it into the pocket of his suit, the one in which he held the least chance of losing it. Now all that was left was his grand exit, though with the prize in his possession, he knew that it wasn't the time for reckless sprinting.

Besides, with the knowledge that Shuichi had invisibility powers under his belt, he recently felt less sure of his lack of company. He darted down the darkened corridors, large and empty as he let a boost of speed into his step, aiming for the stairs to the roof and promptly ignoring the staff only sign.

He noted the soft sound of a door closing as he travelled upwards without incident, preparing himself for an abrupt stop. As expected, as soon as he reached the door to the rooftop and swung it open, Shuichi himself faded into existence. He was standing directly in front of him, and Kokichi skidded to a halt to avoid running face first into his chest. Though, thinking about it, that would be unbelievably funny. An idea for next time, perhaps?

"Mister Detective! Fancy seeing you here!" He gasped dramatically, taking two calculated steps back to leave distance. He didn't move to check if the watch was secure in his pocket, purely to avoid giving Shuichi any hints that it was in that specific pocket as he instead focused on that sharp hazel gaze.

"Snake Eyes." Shuichi started tartly, with the exasperation of a man who has been in this situation too many times. Kokichi couldn't blame him, though he hoped today would be a bit more exciting, now that he had a new card to play. As long as he was careful with how much he implied, he figured it would be a safe way to spice up their little game. "I'm giving you the chance to return the watch before I begin to press charges."

The thief sniggered behind his mask, already well acquainted with the beginning of this speech. They both were. "How kind of you! I'm afraid I'll have to decline though - I don't have any watch."

Shuichi's eyes narrowed, and perhaps anyone else would mistake him as confident. Kokichi, however, could recognise the anxiety in his movements as always. He supposed confrontation never got easier for him.

"If you don't have it, then I'm sure you wouldn't be opposed to a pat down?" The detective suggested slowly, eyebrow taking a curious lilt. Kokichi's grin tightened for a moment, before melting into a comfortable sneer.

"Gee, don't you have enough people tripping over their feet to sleep with such a famous detective such as yourself as it is?" He mocked, rocking back on his heels and finding amusement in the flustered reaction from his enemy. Kokichi didn't move back, not looking to incriminate himself by creating distance, though he certainly wasn't moving any closer. He paused, considering briefly before he cocked his head with a glint in his eye. "Ooh, I guess it _would_ be pretty hard to get laid when you share an apartment with your brother though, huh?"

Shuichi visibly stiffened as soon as the other referenced Kiibo, something sparking in his eyes. His breath caught as he choked out a question. "What?"

Kokichi, thankful for his distraction working and undeniably intrigued by the reaction, took a step towards the detective as he leaned closer with a giggle. He was trying to push his buttons, that much was obvious. "What, you thought I didn't know about pretty boy? You do realise your family tree isn't that hard to track, right?"

The detective exhaled, as if giving himself time to process this information, before fixing Kokichi with a glare that might have shot a lesser man dead, molten gold oozing with impulsive hatred. Kokichi smiled casually back, though he couldn't deny his surprise and delight at the new, extreme reaction he had prompted.

"Leave him out of this." Shuichi said, a rough edge to his voice as his movements grew more frantic. He stepped forward, hands curled into fists at his side. "This has nothing to do with him, or the rest of my family. This is strictly business."

Kokichi snickered, shaking his head in disbelief. "C'mon, really? If my family is involved, it's just as fair that your one is too." He knew Shuichi would try to refute that argument, so he was quick to swoop in and cut him off. "Besides, you can't control what I say! Freedom of speech and all that, y'know? If you could, that would be unlawful."

"That's not- I mean-" Shuichi groaned, raking a hand through his hair as he stormed forward. The thief stood his ground, hidden behind his costume, though he could safely say he had never felt intimidated by the detective until that moment.

"Bringing them up is just playing dirty!" The detective finally settled on that statement as he stopped in front of his nemesis. They stared at each other for one long, agonising moment, before a wild grin crept onto Kokichi's features.

"When did I ever agree to play fair?" He hissed, all malice and mischief as he swiftly elbowed the detective in the stomach and sped towards the opposite end of the rooftop. He hesitated there, glancing over his shoulder to see Shuichi recovering from the assault and turning to face him. He smirked smugly.

"By the way, I wasn't lying earlier. Your brother's a real pretty boy." He made a show of taking a large step forward, before lifting his other leg to hover over the edge. Shuichi recognised what he was doing, eyes widening as he began to rush forwards. "Would you mind if I said hello sometime?"

"Snake! Wai-!"

Kokichi didn't stick around to watch the detective chase after him, simply flinging himself off the edge. He heard a distinct metal clink behind him on the roof, presumably the watch that he presumably dropped. Still, there was no time to dwell on that as he plummeted downwards. He felt no fear, but he did feel the odd sensation in his gut that so often came with falling to one's death.

All at once, his descent halted as a grey sphere materialised around him. The sensation, to be fair, was barely better considering it was just as weightless, but it removed the possibility of his death. The sphere moved downwards slowly, before dissipating as soon as his feet touched the ground. He huffed, immediately turning to swat Ikki's arm.  
"You couldn't have waited any longer to save my life?"

Ikki chuckled from behind his mask, shrugging playfully. "C'mon, Joker, you know I'd never really let you die that easily." He nudged him back, inclining his head towards the getaway van. "Got the goods?"

Kokichi laughed, reaching into his pocket and flashing his friend with the precious metal of the watch. "Who do you take me for? Obviously!" He hummed, eyes darting around before pushing him towards the van. "Now you all go ahead. I'm gonna make a pit stop. If I'm not back and you don't hear from me in three hours, start arranging my funeral."

Ikki rolled his eyes. "It's alright, Boss, just say you're gonna go be lovey dovey with your boyfriend to celebrate your victory." He teased, before saluting and bounding over to the van.

Kokichi made sure to wave the van off, before turning on his heel and slipping into the familiar alleyways. With his appearance, Shuichi would have some paperwork to do in the office which meant it was the perfect time to pay Kiibo a surprise visit. Maybe it would also be a good idea to let him know what happened.

Or maybe not. Who knows? He'd decide on the way.

_

Shuichi eyed the fallen pocket watch, still feeling light headed. He crouched down, picking it up and turning it over in his hands. It felt solid enough, cool to the touch as one would expect. It looked identical to the one that was previously on display, and in short, nothing was out of place.

Even so, he couldn't easily believe that a famous phantom thief like Snake Eyes would make such a novice mistake. Dropping the thing you were stealing didn't align well with the goal of stealing it, after all. He added pressure to the watch, keeping a close eye on it to monitor it for changes. At first, it held, metal digging into his palms until it suddenly burst into purple smoke, seeping through his fingers and swiftly being swept up by the wind.

He sighed heavily as he stood, not particularly surprised and therefore not disappointed by the lack of result. Even if it had been the watch, any sort of satisfaction was tainted by the memory of the interaction that occurred prior.

Snake Eyes knew about Kiibo, and possibly even where he lived. The thought was terrifying - it was every detective's worst nightmare. Still, Shuichi couldn't decide on how to face this knowledge. He didn't want to tell Kiibo, if only to keep his mind at ease, and besides, Snake Eyes had never shown any real hostile behaviour, so it was unlikely that anything would come of it. But there was a slither of doubt in his mind, and that was more than enough for him to dwell over.

He began the journey back to his car, which would lead to his journey to the office to record the heist, and finally back to his apartment, and his bed.

Shuichi couldn't wait to sleep.


	2. Fretting

Shuichi sat at his desk, staring at the paperwork strewn across the wood as he clicked his pen. He wished he could focus properly on this case, but his mind was wandering at the moment, alert to any sound outside his open bedroom door.

He wasn't usually this nervous, but Kiibo was never usually home this late. Don't take it the wrong way - he didn't monitor his brother's whereabouts obsessively or anything of the sort, but after learning of Snake Eyes' knowledge of him, he couldn't help but worry. 

He chewed on his bottom lip as he squinted, trying to find something in the printed evidence that would catch his attention and lull his mind back into the familiar investigating mindset. Yet his best efforts seemed useless, his mind instead buzzing with worst case scenarios and the distant memory of a terrified six year old, almost kidnapped by the criminals his mother worked against because he had wandered too far from his family.

His breath hitched as he heard the distinct sound of the front door unlocking, and anxiety powered him as he pushed out of his desk chair and ran to his doorway, throwing his body into the corridor. Shuichi stumbled, eyes frantic for a moment before relief flooded his features, gaze settling on Kiibo locking the door behind himself. 

"I ate without you." He said in greeting, even though that was the last thing he wanted to start with. Shuichi, however, had enough conscious and wit to realise that bombarding the other with his panic induced questions would not end with good results. "I wasn't sure when you'd get back. There's still some rice in the cooker, if you want it."

Kiibo shook his head as he slipped his backpack off his shoulder. "No, thanks. I've already eaten." He moved towards his room to drop it inside. It was a routine move, and everything about the situation was so familiar that the detective almost felt stupid for worrying. He went to make himself coffee, deciding he sure as hell needed it if he was going to make any progress with his current case tonight.

"Tea?" He called as he tinkered around in the kitchen, putting water to boil. He got a quick agreement, and listened to the sound of Kiibo shuffling around his room, presumably changing into something more casual as he grabbed the cups and the instant coffee. He had never felt more soothed by mundane noise. 

Kiibo wandered back out into the open plan room just as Shuichi set the cups on the coffee table. It was second hand, and far too low in proportion to their couch, but neither minded. Kiibo took a seat, and Shuichi slumped down next to him, cradling his coffee as his brother sipped his tea with a small hum.

"So, what were you up to?" The detective broke the comfortable silence, biting his tongue to stop himself from expressing his concerns outright. The last thing he needed right now was to cause the other to panic too. Instead, he said it as casually as he was able, swirling the coffee in his cup gently. "You're not usually back this late, and your shift ended a while ago."

"Oh!" Kiibo replied with a small, awkward chuckle, setting his cup on the coffee table as he pulled his feet up to sit cross legged. "Well, I was working on a prototype with Miu, because she asked for my help. We lost track of time, I think. You know how I get when I'm in the zone."

Shuichi nodded, understanding completely because Kiibo and Shuichi were rather similar when it came to how they worked. Still, there was something that was bothering him about the account. He might have considered that Kiibo was lying, but he was generally under the rather strong opinion that Kiibo seemed to avoid lying so much, he may have a genuine inability. And that aside, Shuichi was his brother. He liked to think they were close enough not to hide much from each other.

Right?

It was a one time occurrence either way, which most likely meant nothing. Just his paranoia, he mentally repeated to convince his nerves.

"Miu ordered food before you had a chance to decline, and you couldn't leave after that out of guilt of her spending money on you?" Shuichi guessed, because he remembered vividly Kiibo complaining about a similar situation a few weeks ago. He pointedly ignored that the previous event occurred over lunch and not dinner. There wasn't enough of a pattern for it to mean anything. He begged his detective mind to rest, wishing it would focus on the actual case he was supposed to be working on as opposed to random theories surrounding his brother staying out late.

Kiibo nodded sheepishly, fidgeting with his hoodie sleeves. "Yeah, something like that. But what about you? What case are you working on now?" He turned to rest his cheek against the couch, facing the other. He paused, before he furrowed his brows in thought. "And please tell me you actually ate, and the rice still in the cooker is leftover."

Shuichi laughed at that, finally allowing himself to relax and forcing his worries out of his mind. As he suspected - they held no weight. "Look, I promise you that I ate. I may not eat breakfast, but I always make sure to eat dinner!"

"You once got so absorbed in a mystery novel, you forgot to eat lunch until 4pm." Kiibo shot back, a playful smile on his face as he reached for his tea once more. "I'm just checking, Shui!"

"Hush, you." Shuichi huffed, though there was a faint smile on his face as he brought his feet up, tucking them under himself as he nursed his coffee. "I'm trying to work on a case regarding a string of possibly related thefts."

Kiibo raised his eyebrows in interest, something Shuichi couldn't quite pin shining in his eyes. "Phantom thief?"

He stiffened momentarily, mouth drying. Considering he always told Kiibo about his progress and frustrations regarding Snake Eyes' case, the question wasn't surprising, yet it still caught him off guard after all the paranoia he dealt with not even a half hour prior. He drank his coffee, shaking his head as both a response and a way to clear his head.

"Too low level to be him. They were thefts from residences, that hold similarities in evidence." He explained softly, missing the way Kiibo relaxed as he delved into a ramble regarding all the evidence he had now and how he could continue. Kiibo was happy to listen - sometimes Shuichi worked best when he was able to get all his thoughts out of his system.

_

Kiibo groaned quietly, rolling over in his bed and clutching an extra pillow against his chest as his gaze landed on the lamp on his desk, light dim. "I told you it was a bad idea!"

Kokichi's soft laughter crackled over the phone, a sound reserved for nighttime calls when their voices had to be kept lower. "Hey, don't give me all the credit. You were the one who had the idea of staying longer and lying later. I just egged you on because I like spending the maximum time possible with my Kiiboy."

Kiibo sighed heavily, prompting another snort from Kokichi's end. "I'm terrible at lying. I don't think I was very convincing."

"Yeah, you don't seem like the type. But hey, I can give you a crash course!"

The white haired boy paused, rolling back to lying flat on his back as he adjusted the phone against his ear. "...In lying?" He murmured incredulously, and was instantly met with hushed, yet equally dramatic spluttering and a scoff.

"I'm an illusions master, who do you take me for? Obviously I mean lying!" Kokichi said in a clearly offended tone, that made Kiibo smile up at the ceiling. His boyfriend continued, voice dropping into a soothing tone. "We can reserve that for another day though, I guess. Have I ever told you about the time Benjiro found out someone stole from his snack stash, and went full investigation on us?"

"No, I don't think so." He breathed in reply. Night calls often involved storytelling of some kind, and he couldn't say he was complaining. Of course, he never would when it allowed him this strange sort of intimacy with Kokichi, despite the distance. "Let me guess - you were the top suspect?"

"Hey!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is,,,an excuse for brotherly Saiibo ft sneaky, sneaky Kiibouma calls. I had to go back and add more observations on Shuichi's part because of how carried away I got with just writing the boys being soft jdkd
> 
> I will say that Shuichi's anxiety over Kiibo has more base than just because of the phantom thief. Understandably, learning that the person considered his enemy has the ability to hurt Kiibo if he chooses to made his protectiveness flare up.


	3. Perturbing

Frankly, Kokichi didn't understand how rich folks could hold big balls at their fancy houses and not expect things to be stolen. I mean, it wasn't that hard to get yourself in there as long as you generally blended in with the aesthetic - it's not like they'd be able to pick you out from a crowd. Perhaps having a suit as your recognisable thieving attire made it a tad more difficult, but just use his illusions to give him a full body mask and he was good to go. Slightly uncomfortable with the feeling of _something_ crawling over his skin, but good to go.   
  
  
Then again, maybe they did expect thefts. Maybe that's why there was always at least one detective invited to these sorts of events. Well, it was stupid of them to think the presence of someone who could arrest him would stop his dastardly schemes.  
  
  
Kokichi had tried to convince Kiibo to accompany him to the ball at Shinguji Manor, if only to subtly annoy Shuichi with his unbelievable skills of persuasion, but his efforts were fruitless. Kiibo refused, talking about how he was already preoccupied with projects and he didn't have time to play damsel in distress, and anyway, that may risk the secrecy of their relationship. He did, however, wish him good luck with whatever he planned to do and punctuated that with a kiss, so that conversation wasn't completely useless.  
  
  
Speaking of the detective, he could see him through the crowd. He looked just as awkward as one would expect an introvert to be, smiling weakly as he held conversations with people Kokichi didn't care about. He smiled as their eyes briefly met, mischief in his gaze before he turned and melted into the crowd. With his illusion up, there was little chance that Shuichi would catch on, though he preferred to overestimate than underestimate.   
  
  
Kokichi didn't particularly enjoy acting formal, but he did so anyway, if only to shake off any suspicion before he snuck to find some priceless artifact in Korekiyo Shinguji's care. He didn't have many details, unfortunately, but he knew enough to know that stealing it would be worth the effort. And so, he smiled with thinly veiled contempt, and made boring conversation with these boring people and this boring persona while swirling something most likely alcoholic in a glass.   
  
  
His phone vibrated in his pocket, and assuming that was the all clear from Benjiro, he ended the conversation with a stale insult disguised in saccharine tones and slipped away before the gentleman had any chance to process his words. He placed the untouched alcohol on an over decorated table, making sure to balance it precariously on the edge and snickering at the idea of some entitled asshole getting pissy over a drink ruining their clothes. He surveyed the room silently before slinking out of the gathered crowd and into the empty corridors.  
  
  
Kokichi waltzed through the manor with a casual smirk, as if he wasn't about to commit a crime. Confidence made it easy to act like he knew where to look, and acting like he did made it much easier to find what he was looking for.   
  
  
The artifacts were held in glass displays, in a room with heavy curtains, protecting them from sunlight. Despite his experienced eye, he couldn't detect any security surrounding them, and the sheer amount of stupidity that would have been necessary to prompt leaving such valuable objects unguarded made the thief hesitate in his approach.  
  
  
That hesitation was clearly a bad idea when a second later, he picked up on the sound of quick footsteps approaching from down the corridor. The pace made him suspect it was Shuichi - perhaps he had decided he didn't like the extra social interaction after all. Or perhaps, he really was smart enough to see through his illusion. Whatever it was, Kokichi couldn't care less. The sound merely spurred him into action, and he moved towards an aged vase with light movements. He picked the lock of the display, fumbling only slightly before sweeping the vase into his arms and spinning around, allowing his disguise to fall as he tucked the vase into the satchel his illusion had suppressed in one smooth motion. He grinned widely at the sight of Shuichi stumbling into the room, eyes wide as he scrutinised the thief.  
  
  
"Snake Eyes." He breathed, eyes sharpening as he tried to take a step closer. Kokichi, however, was uninterested, waving the detective off.  
  
  
"Yeah, yeah, same as always. I'm not giving the treasure up!" He laughed, as if he wasn't taking this seriously. Well, that wasn't too far from the truth. The artifacts here were good, but they weren't something he already had buyers for. It wouldn't be the end of the world if he didn't leave with some, though it would certainly do some damage to his ego.  
  
  
"Then I'm guessing you want me to skip to arrest?" Shuichi replied in a tone that contradicted Kokichi's - soft and serious. He put a hand in his pocket, before revealing a pair of handcuffs looped around his thumb. The thief found himself eyeing it warily, before offering a toothy grin a split second later, wiping any traces of doubt clear off his face.  
  
  
A comeback was loaded on his tongue, ready to engage in the typical chase banter as he stalled for time, though it dissolved quickly as the two both suddenly registered the sound of explicitly sexual moaning coming from the room below; presumably one of the bedrooms. He faltered, glaring decisively down at the floor but not showing much reaction otherwise. Shuichi's skin, on the other hand, had taken on a pink hue, and he shifted to hold the handcuffs in his other hand as he flustered for a moment.  
  
  
This joint surprise left them at a stalemate, until Kokichi huffed, folding his arms. "Rude. There are _so_ many other rooms in this manor, choose another one where people won't hear you! Geez. At least _we_ don't do it in the room next to you."  
  
  
Kokichi pressed his lips together in thought after his words, before his lips twisted into a sinister grin, and he glanced up at the visibly bewildered detective with a contradictory song in his breath. He sensed a chance to escape; after all, he doubted either of them wanted to stick around with _that_ happening below their feet. "Anyway! As I was saying, I think I'll be taking this. I appreciate the dramatics as always, Mr Detective. Really, it was a lot of fun today!"  
  
  
Speech said swiftly, he gave a fake bow and blurred into colour. He knocked shoulders with Shuichi, though the detective couldn't tell if that was a legitimate accident or just another way to mock him. He bit his lip as he folded the handcuffs back into his pocket, glancing at where Kokichi was moments before as his mind raced. Why didn't his secondary power kick in when it had been the perfect opportunity for it? Then again, it never worked for his convenience, did it?  
  
  
He sighed, running a hand down his face as he turned to make his way back to the party. He would need to tell Kiyo about his vase being stolen, but afterwards, he'd have all the time in the world to mourn his lack of control of his secondary power.   
  
  
The anxious, protective side of himself instinctively filed giving Kiibo a call into his schedule. Just in case.  
  
_  
  
"Shuichi! Are you having fun?"  
  
"Do you want an honest answer or not?"  
  
"I'll take that as a no? You really should have brought a friend with you!"  
  
"I know, I know. But I didn't call to talk about myself. I just wanted to check in on you?"  
  
"Me? Shui, I'm fine, I've told you. Don't worry."  
  
"Yeah- yeah, okay. I'll try."  
  
"Why? Did something happen?"  
  
"No, just detective intuition acting up out of nowhere. Sorry about that, Keebs."  
  
"Hey, don't apologise! Though you might want to pay attention to the ball. If not because of me, your detective intuition might be acting up because of something there."  
  
"...Yeah, you're probably right."  
_  
  
  
"Your ego needs to be put on a leash." Kiibo mumbled irritatedly into Kokichi's hair. Despite his annoyance, he did nothing to stop the other from pressing against him, burying his face in his neck.  
  
  
"It really wasn't that bad." Kokichi hummed, and Kiibo could feel his smirk against his skin. In response, he swatted his shoulder, earning a grumble and violet eyes peeking up at him, half lidded with faux annoyance of his own. "C'mon, I didn't specify anything! And I didn't give him any time to process it!"  
  
  
"But Shuichi overthinks. If you didn't give him time to process, he'll just process later. And that sort of remark could very easily expose us, not to mention add pressure on Shuichi, because any added mystery will keep him up. _Please_ think before you speak." Kiibo cried in exasperation, rolling onto his back and throwing an arm up. Kokichi followed the motion, lazing on his chest as he frowned at his boyfriend's panic.   
  
  
"Relax, Kiibabe." He said gently, reaching for Kiibo's arm and pulling it down, lacing their fingers together. He didn't, however, offer any counter arguments, so they drifted in the silence between them. Kokichi shifted, pressing soft, reassuring kisses to his neck as he squeezed his hand. In response, Kiibo, buried his nose into his boyfriend's hair, wrapping his free arm around him.   
  
  
"In my defense." Kokichi murmured after several blissful minutes of soothing affection. "Shumai would've probably preferred to find out about it by hearing about it, as opposed to walking in on-"  
  
  
Kiibo groaned, cheeks flushed as he hid his face in Kokichi's hair. "Shut up. You're not helping at all."  
  
  
Kokichi tilted his head up, to be able to press his lips tenderly against Kiibo's despite his attempts at hiding, rubbing his thumb against his knuckles. He grinned. "Thanks. That's my specialty."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had this particular scenario idea early on in the planning of these six and yet this was the one I was the most indecisive on. That said, I'm fairly happy with the outcome. Writing the Kiibouma cuddling scene rejuvinated me, and Shuichi continues to grow increasingly worried for his brother and suspicious about everything.


	4. Misleading

Shuichi returned home to Kiibo slamming his bedroom door and looking borderline frantic. Despite the exhaustion weighing down his limbs and the pounding in his head, he still adjusted his laptop bag with a concerned frown. "Is everything okay, Keebs?"

Kiibo's gaze snapped over to him, and he seemed to be unsure of what to do with himself, stepping away from the door awkwardly. After a moment, he chuckled as he fidgeted. "Shuichi! I didn't expect you back so soon!" The detective couldn't blame him for that, he supposed. He had a habit of staying at the office longer than necessary to stay in the zone. "Yes, I was just looking for my notebook. I have an idea for something that I want to jot down before I forget it." 

Shuichi noted that his voice cracked, but decided to brush it off regardless. Pointing it out was unnecessary, and he never liked his own voice cracks being pointed out. It meant nothing - he was just adjusting back to not over analyzing everything. He ran a hand through his hair. "It's not in your room?"

"I've looked everywhere in there, so I don't think so." The white haired boy bit his lip, glancing back at the door in what Shuichi assumed was thought.

"I'll keep an eye out for it, then? I'd help look for it but," He groaned into his palm, before shaking his head slightly. "I'm exhausted."

Kiibo relaxed, furrowing his brows as he pattered over in quick, easy steps, as that would make conversation easier as opposed to talking across the room. Shuichi had always envied the innocent confidence that followed his posture and walk. "Have you been sleeping properly? Or did something happen at work?"

"I mean," The detective hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck as he averted his gaze. His lack of a sleep schedule wasn't a new topic by any means. "I didn't... _ not _ sleep."

Kiibo rolled his eyes, placing his hands on his hips. "We talked about this." He huffed, with the slightest pout. "Sleep is important!"

Shuichi smiled bittersweetly, slipping the laptop bag off his shoulder and dropping it on the coffee table. "Yeah, we've talked about it. You being a hypocrite also came up in that specific conversation." He heard Kiibo let out a loud gasp behind him, and he bit back a grin as he stifled a yawn. He stretched his arms over his head with a long sigh, as he finally decided to address his actual issue. "I think I'm starting to lose my mind."

"Why's that? Is it a case?" Kiibo stepped back into view, clearly ready to play therapist as per usual. Still, Shuichi hesitated, before humming dismissively. 

"Not sure. It's just making me tired." How was he supposed to begin explaining the actual issue? 'Oh, yes, my dearest brother, I'm losing the last threads of my sanity over the phantom thief case because he keeps implying things involving you and I'm terrified for your safety.' It had been long enough with nothing happening for Shuichi to not jump to conclusions whenever Kiibo stayed out later than normal, but anxiety of that degree didn't exactly disappear. Snake Eyes was a trickster, but surely these implications must add up to something? Then again, Shuichi wouldn't be surprised if it led up to nothing. Driving him insane by leading him on seemed like something the thief would revel in.

Kiibo appeared sympathetic, quiet for a moment. "You should rest." He paused, before outstretching his arms with a faint smile. "But how about a hug before that? They tend to help cheer people up."

Shuichi laughed lightly at the faux smart tone, but didn't try to decline the offer. He sunk into his brother's embrace, wrapping his arms around him tightly. The two rocked side to side gently for a moment as they clung comfortingly to each other - a habit that had persisted since childhood. The action was familiar and filled with warmth, and brought forth memories of blissful ignorance.

Shuichi eventually detangled himself from the other with a small smile, putting distance between them again. "I'll go get that rest then." Kiibo made a noise of agreement, nudging his brother towards his bedroom and prompting another laugh. "I'm going, I said I'm going!"

Shuichi collected his laptop bag again (to move it into his room, not continue working, of course not) only to freeze at the sound of movement from within the apartment. He lifted his head, his recently forgotten worries resurfacing full force as he located the source of the noise. Kiibo's room. "Do- Do you have someone over?" He asked absentmindedly, yet his gaze remained down the corridor for a moment longer before glancing at the other. Kiibo wore a confused expression, before shaking his head in response. Shuichi's chest constricted. 

"Are you okay?" Kiibo shot back at him, shuffling closer. The possibility that, perhaps, Kiibo hadn't heard the commotion crossed the detective's mind and he nodded slightly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Did you hear anything just now?" As he suspected, the other once again shook his head. Kiibo paused, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth (a habit Shuichi recognised in himself) before clicking his tongue.

"You should really get to bed. Maybe you're hallucinating?" Shuichi took a moment to mull over this suggestion, before nodding. His exhaustion was strong, after all, and sleep deprivation sometimes led to hallucinations, right? The other option was Kiibo was lying, of course, but what reason would he have to lie to him? There was no motive for that. 

"Right." He rubbed his eyes, wondering if that would help clear the lingering doubt in his head. "Bed, then. Goodnight, Keebs."

"Night, Shui." He was distantly aware of Kiibo's gaze on his back as he hurried to his room, though he assumed that was out of concern. He closed his door, dropped the laptop bag in his desk chair and collapsed on his bed. He buried his face in his pillow with a groan, the lack of light already doing wonders on the migraine that had developed throughout the day.

Sleep sounded wonderful.

_

"You couldn't stay quiet for two more minutes?" Kiibo complained under his breath as he unlocked the front door as quietly as possible. Kokichi clung to him from behind despite his efforts, resting his forehead on the back of his head as he spoke in low tones.

"I didn't expect your stack of books to fall!" Kokichi whispered back, a grin in his tone. "Besides, you never actually got me to agree to keep quiet."

Kiibo finally swung the door open, and Kokichi conceded his grip on his boyfriend to slip out of the apartment. "You're a nightmare." Said boyfriend sighed as he leaned lightly against the doorframe. Kokichi distracted him with a soft kiss. 

"Yeah, but I'm your nightmare." He hummed as he pulled away, stuffing his hands into his pockets with a bright smile. "Well, I have business to attend to, so I needed to skedaddle anyway. Goodnight, my beloved!"

And with that, Kokichi darted off. Kiibo huffed, before locking the door and making a mental note to make sure Shuichi was actually asleep later.

_

The next morning, Shuichi arrived at the office to find a small package wrapped in blue tissue paper. Inside was a packet of melatonin, a packet of ibuprofen and a calling card with DICE's emblem on the front. Turning the card over revealed a message in purple ink and scrawled handwriting, bordered by a checkerboard pattern. 

_ Look after yourself, Mr Detective! There's no fun in a chase if your opponent is slacking.  _

_ ~Joker  _

A little heart was doodled after the signature. Shuichi could only stare at the message and the medicine for a few long moments before burying his head in his hands

He really was going insane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah yes, Shuichi's Gradual Descent Into Madness; Part 4
> 
> The next chapter is,,,oh boy it's going to be a doozy. I'm hoping to get it out this weekend but I'm not going to promise anything. The last chapters in general are going to be more plot heavy than the first four (or at least, I've planned them to be)


	5. Fearing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: panic attacks, near death experiences
> 
> Please proceed with caution.

The rooftop overlooked a majority of the city, plants blooming against unnatural brick to highlight the city garden aesthetic. The view was coated in the golden glow that tended to precede sunset, and the buzz of the crowd assembled on the roof made everything feel hazy and dreamy.

A childhood friend of Shuichi's was hired to play piano at this party celebrating the end of summer, and had extended an invite to both him and Kiibo. They had accepted, and so were now mingling in the feeling of company. Shuichi was stood by the piano with Kaito, leaning against it lightly as he watched Kaede play and chatted comfortably. Her expertise never failed to leave him in awe.

Kiibo, on the other hand, was attempting to make cheerful conversation with those around him. He recognised a few attendees - an old classmate or someone of that sort, he believed, was the host, so it made sense. However, those few familiar faces were outweighed by the waves of unfamiliar ones, and despite his best efforts, it seemed that most were uninterested in conversation and more attracted to the idea of pretending they were sober. The increased noise around the alcohol table suggested as much.

He considered rejoining Shuichi and his friends by the piano, but he didn't want to interrupt anything, so instead he leaned against the brick wall at the entrance to the rooftop, looking out at the buildings below. The scenery was breathtaking in the right light, he had to admit, and if he had any creative flair, he was sure it would have revelled in such a sight. As it stood though, he only had a soft admiration of the beauty of it all.

He was pulled from this comforting train of thought by someone stopping in front of him, grinning in excitement. Kiibo couldn't seem to link a name to the face, and yet, his new companion felt familiar. Amber eyes shone with something he couldn't pin as they offered him a hand. "I couldn't help but notice you looking pretty lonely over here. Mind if you spare me a dance?"

Kiibo glanced over the other's shoulder at the circle of dancers along the open edge of the rooftop. Some danced in sync and to the tune of the piano, while others seemed to stumble and then laugh at their own mistakes. He returned his gaze to the person in front of him, and considering that he had wanted to socialise all evening, smiled sheepishly and took the offered hand. "As long as you're okay with the fact that I'm not much of a dancer."

The stranger led him into the crowd with a gentle, firm grip, speaking quietly. "Relax, Kiiboy. I'll lead." The words startled him, in a voice that was unfamiliar but held a unique lilt.

"Kokichi?" He breathed in surprise as he turned to face him, arranging his hands to coordinate with the position the other was trying to coax him into. "I didn't know you were going to be here! Or that you could change your appearance like that."

"What kind of illusionist would I be if I couldn't disguise myself?" Kokichi grinned at him, all mischief as amber eyes momentarily flashed violet to confirm his suspicions. He moved to rest his right hand below his shoulder blade, and Kiibo's limited knowledge on dance informed him that this was a waltz position. "Well, I didn't know you were going to be here either, so we're both surprised."

He hummed to the piano, before slowly starting to dance to allow Kiibo a chance to get used to it. "You're not put off dancing because it's with me, are you?" He teased, knowing the answer already.

Kiibo let out a short, incredulous laugh, stumbling a bit as he got used to the footwork. "Of course not."

_

Truth be told, Kokichi wasn't exactly sure what he was here for.

He had received a tip off from someone anonymous regarding a valuable to be found at the party, stating that they would pay good money to gain possession of it. Now, Kokichi wasn't an  _ errand boy _ by any means, and he didn't typically follow anonymous tip offs, but intrigued by this mysterious valuable, he decided there was no harm in investigating.

However, nothing seemed to come up. No obvious, decorative centerpieces - the attendees weren't even wearing any good jewellery. He would almost count the evening as a failure if he hadn't caught sight of Kiibo across the rooftop. An extremely pleasant surprise, of course, and he wouldn't be one to give up the opportunity to dance with his beloved.

So here he was, leading the dance with what seemed to be practised ease and supporting his partner's occasional stumbles. It was comfortable, but that was hardly a surprise when Kiibo was one of the only people he felt open to. Even so, he continued to glance over his shoulders, searching for something of value. It was inevitable that his partner would notice. Kiibo moved closer, shifting his hand from Kokichi's upper arm to his shoulder.

"What are you looking for?" He murmured as Kokichi turned them both, surveying the bustle of people. The thief huffed, not out of frustration towards his boyfriend but more towards the situation.

"Something valuable." He replied in less than a whisper, barely audible despite their close proximity. He could hear Kiibo sigh heavily in response, and assumed it was due to the vague nature of the statement. The rest of his reply, however, caught in his throat as his eyes landed on an elegant pendant against the collarbone of a woman he didn't care to recognise. Bingo.

"Something like that." He finished with a growing smirk, before catching Kiibo's eyes. "You wouldn't mind a rain check on this dance, would you? Dancing by starlight is so much better than sunset."

He rolled his eyes as he typically did in the presence of Kokichi's antics, and slowed his steps in response. "Be careful. There are a lot of people to act witness here." 

"You underestimate me." The thief cooed, pulling away and pressing a kiss against the back of his hand before releasing him from his grip. He turned just slow enough to catch the light flush and exasperated smile on Kiibo's face.

_

Shuichi sighed as he watched Kiibo dance. Though a small part of him whispered insecurities and doubts, he brushed them all off as soon as he registered how unabashedly happy his brother seemed. Despite clearly not being confident in the dance itself, distance didn't stop Shuichi from recognising that. 

Kaito followed his gaze, before grinning and nudging his friend's shoulder. "He looks happy, dude. Can't blame him. I think dancing really brings out the best in people."

Shuichi raised an eyebrow, propping his elbow against the top of the piano. "Yeah?" He asked, voice full of amusement. Kaede smiled, glancing up from the notes.

"Oh, I agree with that!" She paused to focus on a quick section of melody, and neither Shuichi or Kaito pushed her to continue. "I can't dance, but music always speaks to me personally, so dancing must help express that personality."

"Exactly!" Kaito beamed, eyes sparkling like they held stars. Shuichi glanced away to make sure he wouldn't stare for longer than considered socially acceptable. He always found himself enamoured by Kaito's eyes, for reasons he couldn't place. 

He was, at least, thankful to have chosen to come to this party. The ball at Shinguji Manor had been much more uptight, and he had felt explicitly out of place. The rooftop party, in contrast, felt similar in budget but infinitely more casual, especially with the presence of some of his closest friends. For once, he was fully distracted from his constant fixation on cases.

In hindsight, it was inevitable that something would ruin his feeble attempt at relaxation.

Kiibo joined them ten minutes later, a faint smile and something in his eyes that Shuichi could easily identify as being lovestruck.

"Who was the dance partner, Keebs?" Kaito asked near immediately with a playful grin. The dynamic between the two was always interesting to Shuichi - not particularly friends, though they seemed to trust each other. 

"Ah-" Kiibo floundered for a bit, ears turning pink as he fidgeted with his nails. "I don't think I ever got a name."

"Really? You seemed to be getting along pretty well." Shuichi mused, teasing but altogether affectionate. Kiibo shot him a weak glare, and he smiled back.

"Wanna try and get his number?" Kaito suggested, folding his hands over his chest and trying to search for Kiibo's previous partner in the crowd. The white haired boy chuckled awkwardly, ducking his head to hide his face. He didn't get the chance to verbally respond, as a low rumble interrupted their conversation.

Kaede stopped playing, leaning back from the keys to look around for the source of the noise in clear confusion. The other attendees similarly looked around in bewilderment, even as the noise tapered off into silence. They only had to wait a moment later for a distorted cackle to penetrate the stunned murmuring, and Shuichi felt his heart plummet as a figure rose to tower in midair, above the rooftop.

As a detective, he didn't tend to interfere with superhero business. Most law enforcers didn't, even if vigilantism was far from encouraged, that was a well known fact. However, that didn't stop him from recognising the currently active vigilantes, and he knew whoever was hovering menacingly above them was not one of them. 

This figure didn't appear to have any noticeable features on display. All black clothing with a black masquerade mask and hooded cloak, no doubt to hide their hair. All that could be noted was their piercing red eyes and terrifyingly sharp grin.

Shuichi's mind raced. Whoever this was seemed to have malicious intent, but he couldn't think of any possible motives to crash this particular party. That question was swiftly answered by the figure themself, their warped, crackling voice causing goosebumps. He shivered. He wouldn't forget a voice like that easily.

_

Kokichi grimaced as he subtly stepped away from the woman with the necklace. He had been convincing her to get a little more tipsy to make stealing her jewellery easier, but it seemed he now had something more important to focus on.

The fact he recognised the voice made him recoil.

_

"I've heard a certain Shuichi Naegi is here today." They announced, and the detective's skin crawled. Though that was his legal name, he had gotten used to being referred to under his work alias, Saihara. Not to mention the way the criminal - he was certain this person meant harm of some sort - had spat his family name like it was poison. Family grudge, perhaps? His father never mentioned anything, but he didn't seem like the type to mention things like that regardless. On that train of thought, he didn't seem like the type to have enemies at all. "I would love to meet him, really."

Shuichi had never felt more relief than he did in that second, when nobody immediately outed him. If anything, he noticed Kaito shift towards him, settling into a more defensive stance. The criminal waited for a few long, tense moments, before sighing. The sound was mangled with static.

"Fine. I guess I'll just have to find him the hard way, huh?" They huffed, before turning to gaze directly at him, and Shuichi had the horrifying realisation that the criminal had always known exactly where he was. They threw their arm out in his direction and suddenly his world was knocked out of focus.

In an instant, the sound of the breeze around them and distant clammer of traffic silenced. His momentum froze as time stopped, just as panic began clawing up his throat. Shuichi couldn't stop his body from trembling as he took this moment to assess everything happening. He didn't know when time would restart, because he had no idea how he had gotten his power to stop it in the first place.

He realised rather quickly that he was stuck in midair, and though he could typically walk around while time was still, he didn't have flight to aid him in this situation. Immediately after that, he noted that he must have been thrown out from the rooftop, as there was nothing below him except for the ground, several floors down. There was no hope of surviving a fall from this height. He could die here.

Shuichi's breath quickened as his gaze snapped upwards, the action only making him more nauseous. He hadn't been the only one to be pushed off. Several people closest to the edge had, including Kaito, Kaede and Kiibo. Kaito had flight, but the other two didn't. They were just as doomed as him. They were going to die with him.  _ Because _ of him, it seemed.

Shuichi couldn't breathe.

Time started with an abrupt jolt.

_

Kokichi didn't think, didn't let himself consider the situation for even a second. It was all impulse and adrenaline that fuelled him in that second, calculative nature be damned, as he saw nothing but Kiibo being thrown over the edge.

He didn't have the breath to shout, but he did have the power to propel himself forward in a millisecond. He leaped over the edge, illusion shattering in record time as he dove towards Kiibo, arms outstretched and desperate. The extra momentum he gained from his super speed proved helpful in that endeavour, as he fell in a blink of an eye and managed to wrap his arms protectively around Kiibo, pulling him tightly against him as they fell together. 

He was faintly aware of people being moved to action by his own recklessness, vaguely recognising that nobody was falling as far as they were as those with gravity defying abilities followed him over the edge to catch those that had fallen. But Kokichi had no time to focus on that - instead, he shrieked as Kiibo breathed heavily and unevenly against his chest, the ground growing uncomfortably close. "ACE!"

As soon as the word was torn from his lungs, a familiar grey sphere burst into existence around them, the action so frantic that Kokichi knew Ikki must be just as panicked as them. Still, with the imminent face of death forced away from them and being carefully drifted down to land away from the others, he buried his face into Kiibo's hair as they clung to each other. "Fuck, are you okay? Breathe, babe."

"Me?" Kiibo gasped in disbelief, and though he was breathless, his tone held something vaguely stern. "Am I okay? You were the one who jumped after me!"

"I couldn't just let you die!" Kokichi hissed back, near hysterical as he hugged his boyfriend closer to him. They landed safely, the sphere around them dissipating as Kokichi reluctantly pulled away from Kiibo in favour of facing a pale faced Ikki. 

"Boss." He started, shaking his head slightly. "That was so fucking risky."

"Tell me something I don't know." Kokichi huffed back, slumping against Kiibo's shoulder. God, why did his powers have to be this draining?

Kiibo touched his arm lightly, clearly hesitating before voicing what they both knew was obvious. "You have to go. I'll call you later, but you can't stay here, and I can't leave without Shuichi."

And although he knew that was the most reasonable solution, Kokichi hated it. He hated it with a burning passion, and for a moment, he almost didn't agree. 

Instead, he hummed noncommittally, pressed a brief kiss to Kiibo's lips (which was, just as briefly, returned) before turning to Ikki with a blank expression.

"Alright. Let's go, Ace."

_

Shuichi hated the gut feeling of falling, so he was infinitely grateful for the arms that wrapped around him, and pulled him back into a solid chest that stopped his descent. He was hyperventilating and tears were pricking the corners of his eyes, but he wasn't going to fall to his death.

"I've got you, Shu." He recognised the voice in an instant, gripping onto Kaito's sleeves as he slowly flew them both downwards. Within his panic, he noticed in belated relief that everyone else had been rescued too. Teary eyes landed on the pair closest to the ground, and yet he didn't feel as terrified with the sight as he thought he would have been. After all, Kiibo had been saved, regardless of if it was by his worst enemy or not. And besides, if Snake Eyes had risked his life to save him, surely that must mean something?

His brain didn't have the oxygen to dwell on that as he was still desperately attempting to regain steady breathing, following the rhythm of Kaito's chest rising and falling. However, a few hours later, in the safety of his own apartment, everything would fall into place.

Right now though, he glanced upwards at where the mystery attacker had floated.

They had left. They threw people off a roof to die and didn't even stick around to see the result. 

Shuichi's legs felt unsteady as they landed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh BOY this chapter was a wild ride to write
> 
> As I said, this chapter is a bit more plot driven. It's longer than the others too, and I'm surprised but very happy that I managed to get it out today!


	6. Confessing

Shuichi, quite simply, felt a bit foolish. Or at the very least, embarrassed, with his profession in consideration.

The realisation had been sparked when he saw Snake Eyes rescuing Kiibo, but it hadn't properly sunk in until 2am the next morning, while he was lying in bed and overthinking the events of the day. Of course, as soon as he registered the possibility, he began to rethink his perspective of both Kiibo and Snake Eye's actions for the past few months and came to the conclusion that it made a lot of sense.

That particular conclusion also sparked plenty of questions, but he filed those away for the next morning. No matter how badly his conscious wanted answers, he wouldn't wake his brother up at 2:30am to entertain him.

His opportunity arose at breakfast, which Kiibo expertly forced him to have by cooking before he was up. Kiibo had mentioned over his fried rice that he'd be at home for the whole day, because Miu didn't need him in the lab, clearing Shuichi's worries of making him late by bringing up his relationship now. Even with that thought out of the way, he hesitated and distracted himself with his coffee, his sleep deprived brain realising that he wasn't sure how to approach this. 

Kiibo finished eating earlier than him, but still sat at the table to accompany him. Shuichi watched him hide a smile with his palm as he typed on his phone, and the idea that he was talking to Snake Eyes crossed his mind. Downing the last of his coffee left him with a lack of plausible distraction and the perfect opening. 

"Who are you talking to?" He asked lightly, to avoid making the conversation serious off the bat. Kiibo glanced up at him with a tilted smile, colour rising in his cheeks as he cleared his throat as his gaze darted back to his screen. 

"Nobody." He replied, equally light. Knowing that wasn't the truth made the uncertain tremor in his voice more obvious to Shuichi, and he briefly wondered how he never picked up on it before. 

The detective sighed into his empty cup of coffee, setting it aside and sticking his spoon into his rice. Or stabbing, that seems like an appropriate description. He paused for a brief moment, before forcing the words out before he could stop himself. "It's Snake Eyes, isn't it?"

Kiibo froze, quick to turn off his phone as, just as suddenly as before, he grew pale. The subtle reaction was more than enough confirmation for Shuichi, even as the other stuttered out an excuse, or denial. He didn't ignore his brother often, simply because he knew how much he hated it, but he was more focused on his discovery than listening to what he now knew to be a lie.

"I'm not mad if it is." He said quietly, because he wasn't, really. It would be a stretch to say he felt any sort of betrayal. At the end of the day, Shuichi understood that love was love, and he had good reasons for not wanting him to know. Perhaps he was a bit confused, and suffering an intense case of dramatic irony, but not mad. "I just have this speculation."

Kiibo relaxed with his reassurance, and let out a soft sigh of defeat. "He really is sweeter once he lets you get to know him." His gaze was still averted, but as he spoke, he lifted it to match Shuichi's. There was no judgement in his eyes. "How long have you known?"

Shuichi chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I only put everything together last night, after seeing him save you. But I'm guessing you've been together for longer than that?"

The other hummed, glancing away as he picked at his nails. "We're nearing seven months, but I've known him for over a year." Shuichi wasn't surprised. Kiibo always loved the idea of relationships, but he wasn't really the type to jump into them. 

He ate his rice thoughtfully. "Could I meet his civilian self?" He asked after a moment of pondering, and Kiibo again seemed to hesitate in answering. It took another moment for Shuichi to realise what that sounded like, and he scrambled to correct himself. "Just- if you two are serious about this, I want to talk to him. I promise this isn't some conspiracy to arrest him."

He held his hands up in mock surrender, and Kiibo snorted in response. He mulled over the question, before leaning back in his chair. "Please don't be harsh on him. No matter what he says, or what he likes to think, he didn't seduce me. I fell in love on my own."

That drew a laugh from the other, shaking his head. He hadn't been planning on accusing the thief of that (mostly), and it wasn't like he was planning on intimidating him away from his brother regardless. "I'll keep that in mind." He replied playfully, humouring Kiibo all the same.

Kiibo grinned bashfully at him, fiddling with his phone absentmindedly. "Then seeing as this is all out in the open now, I don't see why you can't meet him." He looked down at his phone, watching it swing carefully as he held it between his thumb and forefinger. "Could...could you tell him something, though? When you do meet him? I was going to tell him myself but I never really got the chance-"

Shuichi knew what he was talking about already. Of course he did - how could he not? He smiled sympathetically, softening as he recognised his nervous stiffness. "If you want me to, sure. I'll take care of it."

Kiibo smiled back.

_

Kokichi knocked on the door of the apartment politely, as Kiibo had convinced him, as opposed to constantly breaking in. Speaking of his boyfriend, he had asked him to come over for non-specific reasons. The thief somewhat doubted that there was much severity behind this invitation, but it was a sort of situation where he couldn't be sure. 

The door opened, and he instantly stiffened, his smile growing slightly forced. The detective himself answered the door with a small smile, and out of all possible outcomes, this was the one that he was least prepared for.

Kokichi laughed dismissively, glancing down the hall as he leaned on his heels. "Ah, sorry about that, I think I got the wrong door. Whoopsie doopsie!" He turned to make his escape, and he would have done so with grace and poise if Shuichi hadn't spoken up again.

"You're Kiibo's boyfriend, right? You've got the right place. Please, feel free to come in." Kokichi felt his blood run cold, and he turned around quickly to see Shuichi step aside, awkwardly gesturing for him to enter. His mind was trying to find a solution, because what the absolute  _ fuck _ was happening, but he eventually reasoned that if Shuichi knew he was the elusive phantom thief, he wouldn't be letting him enter the apartment. There was no trace of hatred or irritation in his face, or stance, and decently assured that he knew his relationship status but not his criminal record, Kokichi chose to accept the invitation and enter the apartment.

"Sorry, Kiibo just went out to get the groceries." Shuichi said sheepishly, and Kokichi nodded to show he was listening as he went to sit on the couch. The other trailed after him awkwardly, before piping up. "Could I get you tea? Coffee?"

Kokichi found this situation surreal. He was used to Shuichi chasing him around and demanding he return whatever new thing he stole while absolutely failing at arresting him, not seeing him try to play host. He waved a hand, settling into the couch. "I'm good."

Shuichi nodded, bouncing restlessly for a moment, before quickly making his way over and taking a seat on the couch across from his guest. Kokichi found himself wishing Kiibo would hurry up so he wouldn't be caught in this awkward silence with his unwitting enemy any longer. 

At least, he wished until Shuichi broke said silence. Then he decided the silence really hadn't been all that bad, and perhaps he preferred it to the current alternative.

"So, Joker. You're dating my brother."

Kokichi had barely been prepared for the original dilemma, but now he had to deal with the fact that Shuichi knew he was the phantom thief, and he was using his preferred title as opposed to his nickname? His face grew blank as he briefly wondered how to respond. Acting incriminating wouldn't help at all, but as per usual, his ego was reaching for the opportunity to boast.

"I'm not going to arrest you, if that's the issue." Shuichi interrupted his train of thought, leaning forward slightly. He hadn't grown any more hostile, at least, though some of his initial politeness had faded. "But I just want to talk. Okay?"

"How long have you known?" Kokichi murmured, voice quiet. His eyes were pinned on Shuichi, as if hoping to search his soul for answers. He didn't seem to be lying when he said he wouldn't arrest him, but it was understandable for the thief to still remain on edge.

"Believe me, not that long." Shuichi said lightly, a small smile forming on his face. It was something almost friendly, worlds away from the subtle frowns he wore during heists. "48 hours, at the most."

Kokichi hummed a single note, nodding slowly. He didn't offer any further reaction, but he had to admit that the small time frame was a comfort to his conscious. After a moment, he tilted his head to the side. "Talk."

Shuichi blinked in surprise, and Kokichi bit down on a giggle. "Excuse me?"

"You said you wanted to talk, right?" He elaborated, gesturing vaguely in his direction. This wasn't an arrest, after all - it was personal, and surely anything Shuichi wanted to tell him had some sort of value. "So talk."

Shuichi sighed, but shifted into a more comfortable position. "Fine. Listen, Joker. When I saw you and Kiibo together at the party, I could tell you make him happy. It's obvious, and from what I can tell, he loves you immensely." He smiled, faintly. If Kokichi wasn't watching him closely, he would have missed it. "So, as many differences as we have, I'm willing to ignore them for his sake."

Kokichi felt his heart skip a beat. Holy shit, was he getting the detective's blessing? He tried to bite down his smile once more, but it was harder to do when you were filled with pure positive emotion. 

"However," Shuichi continued, face turning blank as his eyes grew serious. "This does not mean I'll stop doing my job. Every theft you perform is still risky, and you run the exact same chance of getting arrested as before." Kokichi found that reasonable. "To be fair, I won't use anything I know about your civilian identity against your case, unless you give me good reason to."

The detective's eyes darkened, to a molten gold, burning dangerously. Kokichi had never once felt intimidated by Shuichi until that moment - the force in his glare made him feel small, which was an impressive feat for someone so proud. "Speaking of which, if this is a ploy to get to me or my work, I would advise you to abandon that plan. It is one thing to be involved with me, but it is entirely another to be involved with my brother. If I find out that you have been manipulating him for your own sick gain, whether to get to me or any other reason, I guarantee you that you will find yourself in a pair of handcuffs and a cell quicker than you can blink. If you hurt him, in any way, your death will be slow and painful, and your body will not see the light of day again. Am I clear?"

A lump formed in Kokichi's throat. He had always wondered how someone so mild mannered as Shuichi managed to become so high ranking in detective work. Having now experienced the peak of his protective nature, he didn't doubt him any longer. He offered a half grin, slightly strained. "Crystal!"

Instantly, Shuichi reverted back to his humble self, smiling gently. His eyes lightened to a soft hazel. "Good." He glanced to the side, tugging at his sleeves. "One more thing. It's something Kiibo wanted to tell me on his behalf, so my acceptance of you might immediately go down the drain depending on your reaction."

Kokichi nodded in understanding, folding his arms and waiting impatiently. No fucking pressure, then. Shuichi took a heavy breath, as if it was difficult for him to say.

"Kiibo's powerless."

Kokichi was quiet for a moment, processing the statement. It made sense, he supposed, as he never saw Kiibo use any abilities. Still, he had assumed that was out of a lack of need as opposed to a lack of power. He shrugged, speaking softly. "That doesn't matter to me." 

"It may not matter to you," Shuichi said in a firm voice, though his shoulders lowered in relief, and Kokichi was happy to believe he had passed the underlying test. "But it matters to a lot of others. He doesn't like being protected, but please promise me you'll keep an eye out for him?" He brushed his hair out of his eyes, and frankly, Kokichi was impressed with the amount of eye contact in this conversation. "I'm sure you would anyway, only because I watched you save his life the other day, but you'll understand that I don't exactly trust you. You still have to earn that."

Kokichi chuckled at that, but quickly sobered. "Fair enough. Of course, I promise to keep Kiibo safe. I'd rather die before seeing him hurt or in danger." His words noticeably lacked any usual ring - they were all seriousness. 

His efforts were rewarded, it seemed, because Shuichi smiled kindly at him, in a way that once again reminded Kokichi how goddamn lucky he was. Shuichi huffed, getting up and brushing his jeans.

"Anyway, please let me get you some tea. Kiibo will probably still be at least ten minutes. He isn't usually quick with groceries." Shuichi stole a glance at the clock across the room, before clicking his tongue. "It'd be better than sitting here awkwardly."

Kokichi sighed dramatically, tilting his head back against the couch cushions. "Very well. Tea it is."

Shuichi ignored him as he moved over to the kitchen, and it occurred to Kokichi that not once had the detective asked for his name. He could respect that, and decided to remind himself to properly introduce himself once he had fully processed all this. 

"I hope you know this means I'll be here all the time now." He called casually over his shoulder, pulling a foot up onto the couch. He could hear Shuichi groan somewhere behind him.

"Don't remind me." The thief giggled as he pulled out his phone, to see Kiibo had replied to his arrival text. He sank into the couch cushions as he smiled.

He was pretty damn pleased with this outcome. 

_

[Kiibabe<3]: I'm guessing you've already seen Shuichi? Sorry for not telling you! He found out yesterday and he wanted to meet you properly. Did it go okay? He wasn't harsh, was he?

[Me]: it went well! i'm pretty sure i could get away with marrying you now

[Kiibabe<3]: That's good to hear? It's a lovely thought but I don't think I'm ready for marriage quite yet.

[Kiibabe<3]: Anyway, I'll be back soon! 

[Me]: eh we'll get there eventually

[Me]: love you!!

[Kiibabe<3]: Love you too!!

_

  
  


Kokichi had to admit that he was a bit over excited after properly meeting Shuichi. It went better than he could have ever hoped for, and later down the line, he would single handedly blame that giddiness for his terrible decision.

He was one of two DICE members that still had contact to his blood related family. He didn't like to think about it often because, frankly, he barely communicated with his family at all. His mother could be dead for all he cared - his real family was DICE. They had tried to convince him not to call his mother (or rather, bluntly told him that it was a stupid idea) but unfortunately Kokichi was often spurred onwards by negative accusations. 

Besides, he had been dating Kiibo for almost seven months and he had yet to boast to his mother. The remnants of his good mood from formally meeting Shuichi inspired hope that he hadn't felt in years in regards to his family. He sat on his bed, scrolling down his contacts list to find a number he hadn't touched in a while. 

That small spark of hope persisted as he pressed call, but as soon as the call was answered, it was smothered. Something akin to regret coiled in his gut as he remembered how much he hated his blood relations.

"Hi, Mama!" He greeted chirpily, knowing she wouldn't greet him first. He could pretend he didn't want to immediately go back to forgetting he had a mother at all - he was a liar, after all. 

"Kokichi." She sighed through the speaker, voice crackling from the feedback and concealed frustration. "If you're calling for money again, you already know the answer. I'll once again remind you that only contacting me for that is extremely impolite."

He bit his bottom lip, twisting his bedsheets under his fingertips. "I know how to maintain myself, y'know. I don't need your pity." He sniffed in clear distaste. "Not that you'd ever give me that anyway."

"Of course, because I trust your petty habit of living off stolen riches like a street rat." She replied, disdain dripping from every syllable. He pressed his lips together in a thin line, eyes drifting around his room idly.

"Yeah, and you're totally not a hypocrite, huh?" He muttered back, gripping his covers in a tight grip. A silence, uncomfortable and cold, settled in the conversation.

"Kokichi." She spoke dangerously, voice low. Despite desperately wanting to provoke her further, he decided to take the hint and changed the subject.

"So I was actually calling to tell you that I got a boyfriend." He continued, feeling slightly lighter at the mention of Kiibo. "He's a cutie."

"Mhm? Is that all you called for?" His mother huffed, and the warmth that filled Kokichi's chest at the thought of his boyfriend withered. "You haven't called for months. Why is now an exception?"

"You didn't try to call me either!" He shot back through grit teeth, poison bleeding into his voice as he gripped the sheets hard enough for his fingers to shake. "Are you  _ that _ busy, Miss Yasuhiro? Can't find time in your schedule for your bastard son?"

"You are a disappointment!" Similar venom seeped from the phone, and Kokichi's eyes darkened as he hissed into the receiver.

" _ Good _ ."

He ended the call the moment the word left his mouth, before throwing the phone down harshly against the bed. It didn't give him the satisfaction of a crash like he wanted, but damaging his phone would be more of a hassle than anything.

He let out a heavy exhale, shaky with anger as he combed his hands through his hair. He closed his eyes, swallowing thickly before rolling his shoulders and quickly leaving the bedroom. 

He was grateful that none of the others questioned him when he stormed into the dining room and collapsed into his chair. "You were right" was more than enough explanation for the nine of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whoO and we're done!
> 
> Shuichi can finally rest, because a huge majority of his paranoia problems have been destroyed. Probably not for long though, because I have plans for a full fic for this AU (because it was bound to happen eventually). When will anything happen with that? I can't tell. It could happen in two days. It could happen in two months. My writing habits are spontaneous and uncontrollable.
> 
> That said, thank you for reading! I'm glad you enjoyed following these two lovebirds and their terrible attempts at hiding their love.

**Author's Note:**

> It’s me again back with another one of these!!
> 
> Shuichi is baby and therefore it is a given that I must write him. This was a huge excuse for me to write up a heist/confrontation between Kokichi and Shuichi and more importantly, to experiment with the relationship between Kiibo and Shuichi in more detail! (Aka their direct interactions and not both spying on each other on what they assumed were dates)


End file.
